Very weird and don't know why this is happening...

[JohnKyo]

Okay so I am shooting with a couple strobes. If I shoot any past 1/320...like let's say 1/400. From the bottom of the screen starts emerging a soft black area which the faster I go starts to cover more of the screen. Any reason this could be happening? Any at all?

 

[TooShay]

Try 1/200... that is probably your camera's sync speed. I suck at explaining things like this but you pretty much have to keep your shutter speed under 1/200 or 1/250 (depending on whatyour camera's sync speed is. Shutter speed doesn't affect the amount of light you're getting with strobes, aperture does. I hope this helps a little!

 

[Josh66]

You are exceeding the x-sync speed, which is most likely 1/200 or 1/250.

 

[Big Mike]

That is your shutter curtain, it's blocking part of the scene when the flash is fired.

The way your shutter works, there are two curtains. The first one opens to expose the sensor to light...then, after a specific amount of time, the second curtain starts to close.
At shutter speeds faster (shorter) than your cameras 'Maximum Sync Speed', the second curtain will start closing, before the first curtain is open all the way. So there is never one point in time when the sensor is fully exposed to light coming into the lens.
The flash is usually a very short amount of time. Up in the 1/1000 range (give or take), so when that flash fires, if the shutter isn't all the way open, you will get part of the frame that isn't exposed via the flash.

So the solution to your problem, is to limit your shutter speed to your camera's maximum sync speed. (probably 1/200 or 1/250).

 

[gsgary]

Does anyone read their manual :er:

 

[KmH]

Or have a clue how their camera actually works, instead of just assuming it's a totally magical black box.

Who has the link to that great YouTube video about camera flash sync speed, front and rear curtain sync? I thought I did, but I can't find it.

 

[JohnKyo]

Or have a clue how their camera actually works, instead of just assuming it's a totally magical black box.

Who has the link to that great YouTube video about camera flash sync speed? I thought I did, but I can't find it.

Or likes actual help from competent people about said situation instead of scrolling through countless pages of stuff I DON'T need to know? I've never used a strobe, so it caught me off-guard. I had a feeling it might have to do with what the problem turned out to be, but wanted to make sure. Instead of assuming one knows nothing about a camera or how it works why don't you just keep out of a conversation you can't help on either?

 

[JohnKyo]

Does anyone read their manual :er:

Nope, because manuals have 98 percent pointless stuff you don't need to read and 2 percent of what you are looking for during that situation. Also, the strobes I bought came with no type of paper work of ANY kind and I have no clue where my original camera manual is. Didn't read through that anyway though, so oh well.

 

[480sparky]

 

[JohnKyo]

Either way, thank you for those nice enough to just simply help out here. It's all situated.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Does anyone read their manual :er:

Nope, because manuals have 98 percent pointless stuff you don't need to read and 2 percent of what you are looking for during that situation.

:shock:

 

[cgipson1]

Does anyone read their manual :er:

Nope, because manuals have 98 percent pointless stuff you don't need to read and 2 percent of what you are looking for during that situation. Also, the strobes I bought came with no type of paper work of ANY kind and I have no clue where my original camera manual is. Didn't read through that anyway though, so oh well.

Well.. I guess you can always YOUTUBE the information.. instead of asking those of us who READ our manuals (that is why we know the answer!)

 

[MTVision]

Nope, because manuals have 98 percent pointless stuff you don't need to read and 2 percent of what you are looking for during that situation. Also, the strobes I bought came with no type of paper work of ANY kind and I have no clue where my original camera manual is. Didn't read through that anyway though, so oh well.

Not sure what camera you have but the manuals I've read do not contain 98% pointless stuff UNLESS you consider knowing everything the camera can do pointless. And it definitely would've told you about the issue you were having.

BTW - you can usually download manuals off the Internet.

 

[JohnKyo]

Nope, because manuals have 98 percent pointless stuff you don't need to read and 2 percent of what you are looking for during that situation. Also, the strobes I bought came with no type of paper work of ANY kind and I have no clue where my original camera manual is. Didn't read through that anyway though, so oh well.

Not sure what camera you have but the manuals I've read do not contain 98% pointless stuff UNLESS you consider knowing everything the camera can do pointless. And it definitely would've told you about the issue you were having.

BTW - you can usually download manuals off the Internet.

I'm guessing you didn't understand what I said. So I will state again..."2 percent of what you are looking for DURING THAT SITUATION."

 

[MTVision]

I'm guessing you didn't understand what I said. So I will state again..."2 percent of what you are looking for DURING THAT SITUATION."

Oh no I understood you. I also understood when you said you never read it in the first place. Maybe if you had you would've known the answer/solution to this super simple question.